PORCELAIN

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does porcelain mean? 

• PORCELAIN (noun)
  The noun PORCELAIN has 1 sense:

1. ceramic ware made of a more or less translucent ceramic

  Familiarity information: PORCELAIN used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PORCELAIN (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Ceramic ware made of a more or less translucent ceramic

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("porcelain" is a kind of...):

ceramic ware (utensils made from ceramic material)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "porcelain"):

china (high quality porcelain originally made only in China)

Spode (a brand of fine English porcelain)

 Context examples 

The term refers particularly, to thermoplastic and thermosetting resins, poly-siloxanes, polymers associated with restorative materials; ionic polymers, silicones, polymethylmethacrylate, BIS-GMA, reinforced polymers, composites, metals, cements, dental porcelains, etc.

(Dental Material, NIH CRISP Thesaurus)

Calcium nitrate is used in the production of cadmium hydroxide for use in alkaline batteries, to color glass and porcelain, in photography and in nuclear reactors.

(Cadmium Nitrate, NCI Thesaurus)

Cosmetic dental procedures include: • Bleaching to make teeth whiter • Repairing chips or rough spots with fillings that match your teeth • Filling cavities with tooth-colored materials • Reshaping teeth that don't match the others • Closing gaps between teeth • Covering broken teeth with porcelain crowns

(Cosmetic Dentistry, NIH)

She put her hand upon it hurriedly—a hand so thin and delicate, that when I had seen her hold it up before the fire to shade her face, I had compared it in my thoughts to fine porcelain—and saying, in a quick, fierce, passionate way, I swear you to secrecy about this! said not a word more.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Dark handsome new carpets and curtains, an arrangement of some carefully selected antique ornaments in porcelain and bronze, new coverings, and mirrors, and dressing-cases, for the toilet tables, answered the end: they looked fresh without being glaring.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

Adele, indeed, no sooner saw Mrs. Fairfax, than she summoned her to her sofa, and there quickly filled her lap with the porcelain, the ivory, the waxen contents of her boite; pouring out, meantime, explanations and raptures in such broken English as she was mistress of.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)